The Browns made their roster cuts early, but the biggest hole on the team is still staring them in the face: tight end.
Cleveland is carrying just three tight ends on the active roster right now - second-year player Harold Fannin Jr., seventh-round rookie Carsen Ryan and core special-teamer Blake Whiteheart - and that’s a thin group for a team that already lost veteran Jack Stoll to season-ending injured reserve and put rookie Joe Royer on the reserve/non-football illness list. The Browns’ decision to let David Njoku reach free agency and sign elsewhere only makes the picture look worse.
That’s why the waiver wire matters here, and why the Broncos’ surprising decision to cut rookie tight end Justin Joly should have Cleveland paying close attention. Denver drafted Joly in the fifth round in April, 18 picks before the Browns selected Royer, but waived him on Sunday in favor of seventh-round rookie Dallen Bentley. With the Browns sitting at No. 6 in waiver priority, they’re positioned to make a move if they want one.
Cleveland actually passed on Joly twice in that fifth round, taking center Parker Brailsford and linebacker Justin Jefferson instead. Both players made the Browns’ initial 53-man roster on Sunday. But Joly was highly regarded by draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic, who ranked him as the No. 5 tight end on his board and projected him as a potential late Day 2 pick.
“Joly is a versatile pass catcher, because of his athleticism, ball skills and upside as a three-level threat," Brugler wrote. "Built in the mold of Jonnu Smith, he is more Robin than Batman and ideally suited as a ‘move’ tight end in a 12-personnel offense.”
That description fits what Cleveland is missing. The Browns have Fannin, but they still need a legitimate partner to go with him, and Joly looks like a clean answer if they want to add one without paying much for it.
Joly’s college production backs up the appeal. He finished his career with just shy of 2,000 receiving yards between UConn and NC State, along with 15 touchdowns. His seven touchdowns for the Wolfpack in 2025 were second in the nation, trailing only Kenyon Sadiq.
He’s not projected to live as a pure in-line blocker, though Brugler noted that he competed in that area on film. NC State also used him heavily in the slot, and he logged a 7 percent usage rate as a wide receiver.
Joly also flashed in Denver’s preseason finale, where he hauled in an 88-yard touchdown against coverage the Vikings completely blew.
The Browns may have valued Royer more during the draft process, but Joly now looks like the kind of inexpensive, practical solution Cleveland can use while Royer’s personal situation is worked out. The Broncos’ move came out of nowhere, and it has the feel of a gift the Browns should be ready to take.
In Other News...
Browns Have A Low-Risk O-Line Gamble Worth Watching
The Giants decision to cut Evan Neal puts a former first-round pick back on the market at a time when teams looking for offensive line help are always willing to kick the tires. Neals career has been uneven since he entered the league, with 29 games across three seasons and the entire 2025 season lost, but that kind of pedigree still tends to draw attention from clubs that believe a change of scenery can help.
For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious enough to make this a story worth watching. The Browns have spent enough time searching for stability up front to at least consider whether Neal fits as a low-risk swing, even if no official move has been reported. It is the kind of depth gamble that does not require much to make sense, but it also only matters if a team believes the upside is still hiding somewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Browns 53-Man Roster Leaves One Big Quarterback Question
The Browns got through roster cutdown day with a few notable choices that will shape the early weeks of the season, but the biggest takeaway might be what they did at quarterback. Cleveland carried four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster, then moved Dillon Gabriel to injured reserve because of a back injury, leaving the room in a more unusual spot than most teams would prefer as the opening week approaches.
Elsewhere, the front office made a clear statement about the future by keeping all 10 members of its 2026 draft class in the organization, with nine on the active roster and one on the reserve/non-football illness list. It gives the Browns a deep look at a young class right away, but it also leaves the quarterback picture hanging over the roster in a way that could matter well beyond the first few weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Left One Roster Question Hanging After Waiver Day
Waiver day gave the Browns a little roster movement, but also a clearer look at where the depth chart still feels unfinished. Cleveland used its No. 6 priority to claim rookie cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. from the Bills, then opened a spot by releasing veteran edge rusher Julian Okwara, a move that left the team with only three defensive ends on the roster.
The more interesting part may be what Cleveland did not do. The Browns passed on young tight ends Justin Joly and Cameron Latu, both of whom were claimed elsewhere, even while keeping their preseason look at Mike Hall Jr. as an edge defender. With the roster now trimmed and a few decisions already made, the remaining question is whether the Browns are truly set at that spot or still leaving themselves room to adjust. [Read more 🡒]